Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1887-06-07

It is positively stated, says the Call,
that the recent purchase Of Rattlesnake
Island in San Pedro Harbor is for the
Union Pacific. If the announcement
were less emphatic, il would be reason
able to doubt its authenticity, but the
fact is given without reserve. and it is
added that the company has bought the
island for terminal purposes. The event
gives significance to a story which was
mentioned in this column a few weeks
ago regarding the projects of the Union
Pacific as to its connection with this
Coast.
A few years ago the Union Pacific
acquired the ownership Of the Utah Cen.
trail railroad, which runs nearly south
from Ogden to Frisco, a distance of about
$50 miles. The expressed intention at
the time was to extend the road through
Western Utah and Nevada to the coast,
but the hard times of l8S3-S5 came on
and the project was dropped. Stimuli
~taneously, the Denver & Rio Grande
Company extended their road to the
State line dividing Utah and Colorado,
and the Denver & Rio Grande Western
took up the line there and continued it
to Ogden. At the time this extension
was effected the intention was to get to
the coast; but, as in the case of the
Union Pacific, hard times stopped the
work, the Denver & Rio Grande West.
ern got into the hands of a receiver and
the whole subject was postponed. Quite
lately a deal. of the details of which no
information has TRANSFERRED, has taken
place between the Chicago & Burlington
people and the Denver & Rio Grande
people. Both the Denver & Rio Grande
roads have been taken out of the hands
of receivers and appear to have all the
money required to meet their obligations;
and, more significant even than this. the
narrow.gauge track Of the Denver l. Rio
Grande Western has been straddled and
a third rail laid, giving it the standard
gauge, which is that of the Burlington
& Missouri line from the Missouri river
to Denver. This last transaction only
occurred a few days ago.
The story which we reprinted a few
weeks ago was thas a bargain had been
made between the Union Pacific and the
Chicago & Burlington to build at their
joint expense to the coast from Frisco,
Utah. The Burlington would begin, Of
course, by building a line from a point
on the Denver & Rio Grande Western
near the base of the Roam mountain
across Utah to Frisco. Then either, or
both companies jointly, would undertake
the construction of a road westward, en-.
tering Nevada in White Pine county,
and striking across the country to meet
the Carson & Colorado road somewhere
in Esmeralda county. This latter line
would then form a part of the trunk
line, and would be extended on the sur.
veyed course into Inyo, San Bernardino
and Los Angeles counties, finally fetch.
ing up at the harbor Of San Pedro, on
the coast. This is the story which was
current in Los Angeles at the time the
Union Pacific was first named in connec.
tion with the purchase of Rattlesnake
Island. And it may be true.
We give these rumors for what they
may be worth. They are certainly
plausible. If they should prove true
there will be important changes in the
value of land along the projected line.
Some Of the finest agricultural land in
the world lies in the valleys of Utah and
Nevada, which the new line would open.
1t will pay people to look it up.-Elko
Free Press.